Sweepstakes Industry Challenges New State Law

Local authorities and sweepstakes businesses in North Carolina are in a legal standoff.

The businesses across the state offer fast-moving computer games that mimic Las Vegas-style slot machines.

The Legislature banned video poker and all other electronic gambling in 2006.

But the sweepstakes industry argues that it has changed the software in its machines to tell people ahead of time whether they have won any cash prizes. They argue that makes the games legal and they have filed lawsuits to stop law enforcement from closing them down.

The dispute is causing uncertainty in communities that are trying to shut down the cafes.

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